India: Dust storms worsen air as part of deadly ‘new normal’

Deadly dust storms sweeping over the densely populated north Indian plains are part of a "new normal" of disruptive weather events worsening the country’s already-lethal air pollution and causing disruption in the $2.3t economy. In recent months, dust clouds and storms have killed hundreds of people, destroyed thousands of homes and farmers’ crops and led to flight cancellations. The government in New Delhi, a city of more than 20m people, ordered a halt to construction activities as the airborne sand significantly worsened north India’s air quality, far outside the winter months that usually herald the region’s descent into a months-long toxic haze. "It’s definitely a new normal -- the frequency and intensity of these storms is unprecedented," said Sunita Narain, director general of New Delhi’s Centre for Science and Environment, who added that recent weather is related to desertification, deforestation and an over-extraction of groundwater. Flights were canceled across north India on airlines including Air India, Indigo and Spice Jet, said Kapil Sabharwal, a spokesman for New Delhi’s airport.<br/>